Sunday, September 18, 2011

Public sector austerity unreasonable and irrational - thestar.com: "Rather than freezing the public sector, this moment should be an opportunity to address the crisis in the transportation sector that is so vital to Ontario’s whole economy, as measured not only in auto industry shutdowns and layoffs but in notorious traffic congestion on our roads.

This would mean converting auto assembly and parts plants to the production of energy efficient mass transit vehicles and using the tax revenues from the jobs generated thereby to fund free public transit. If there was ever a time to use Ontario’s capacity to raise funds in bond markets for this, it is now. Far from placing a burden on future generations, it would guarantee them a future."

Toronto News: Is free transit the better way? - thestar.com: "Despite arguments drivers pay their equivalent of a rider's transit fare via gas taxes, vehicle fees and registration, the fact remains there's no box at the end of the driveway or the highway entrance where they must put their money before proceeding. As a result, there's a perception roads are free and that encourages more people to get behind the wheel because they feel they've already paid for the drive, so they might as well.

What if we took the same approach to public transit? Just like the roads and bridges, the subway tunnels, streetcar tracks, buses and other transit infrastructure has been paid for with tax dollars. So, if the goal is building up usage to help the planet, create a more liveable city and move away from a car-dependent culture we now are, then eliminating fares seems to be a way shift that transportation balance."

Saturday, September 17, 2011

InsideToronto Article: NDP and CUPE lambaste proposed TTC cuts: ""CUPE is absolutely opposed to cuts to the TTC," said CUPE Ontario secretary-treasurer Candace Rennick. "It's a direct attack on low-income residents, women and people who can't afford to drive cars. The Province needs to start funding the TTC. People need to be supported and cuts to services won't help.""

Oil companies have gotten their trolls into power by trickery, lying, and plain old election fraud. The corporate media has helped by propagating their lies. There is no funding problem. All the money is spent on the auto-system, as if bus riders were not people. Actually bus riders are saving the economy. They should ride free.

Friday, September 2, 2011

We’re talking mobility, not gravy - thestar.com: "There’s no gravy train in the City of Toronto, but there is a wrecking ball and it’s aimed directly at our transportation system. Since taking office last fall, Mayor Rob Ford has consistently shown a disregard for any notion of evidence-based planning of the city’s road and transit networks.

His bias against both streetcars and light rail transit (LRT) flies in the face of the fact that our current streetcar system carries many more riders a day than the entire GO Transit system and is essential to the daily functioning of the Toronto downtown."